putting up with lippy players...

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by buckrog64

Reffing a recent sophomore game, one player, towards the end of what would be a lopsided victory for his team, barked at me about being held on the previous play by yelling, "You gotta be kidding me! You didn't see him holding?" I chewed on him some, told him not to address officials in such a way, etc., and chased him back to the huddle. If that were in a basketball game, I would have given him a technical foul without even hesitating. It does seem like football players and coaches can 'get away' with a little more than what is permitted by many officials in basketball. Why is that? Does b-ball require tighter control? Is it the close quarters we're in terms of being closer to the action with the players and fans? Or do the holidays make me less patient with people and I'm inclined to put up with less at the basketball game?

It depends upon the tone of voice. A player who yells that toward me first gets a look and usually if the player has any smarts he understands what the look means. If he keeps chattering he gets a flag. I recall only one time in the past five years giving one of those.

Having been officiating several sports over 34 years starting with basketball in Ohio and Michigan in the mid to late 70s I have seen a transformation of athletic misbehavior from region to region and over time. There was a time when athletes did not say a word at the high school level, even coaches showed a high level of respect. Having been in New York now for a quarter of a century doing football the norm of disrepect has moved higher.

A few weeks ago I did a youth game and the team was lousy playing a well coached team. I threw an obvious BIB and that started the head coach. He mouthed from a minute in the first quarter through the half until middle of the third quarter about everything. He questioned why does his team have 7 penalties and the other team none. Being polite I did not answer because it was obvious. Finally the nerves were almost frayed and for my own sanity I confronted him and said I had heard enough, a key that should mean, shut up. Not him, he started to say another sentence and that was it. USC. He was so upset he went home on his own saving me another penalty.